Confirmed: Apple Unveiling iPad 3 Next Week, Features Still Unknown

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CNBC has reported that the long-awaited iPad 3 unveiling will occur next week.
And with a $50 price cut on all iPad 2 models at Best Buy
BBY
, and various reports indicating that the iPad 3 may already be shipping to stores, it is wholly possible that the rumored March 9 release date could be accurate. But what about the feature set? Quad-core processing and 4G LTE are some of the expected features, along with a superior screen (presumably a “Retina Display”). However, the
most tantalizing rumor
of all – which indicated that the third iPad would ship with a double-capacity battery – has not been discussed for quite some time. Going by the previous Apple
AAPL
product unveilings, some might think that there is no way that the company will cram a battery that powerful into its next tablet. But let's not forget that Apple is somewhat of a sneaky company when it comes to unveilings. While the Mac maker does not always use its press events to shock the world with groundbreaking technology, it does love a good surprise or two. Before the iPhone 4S was announced, most tech reporters and Apple enthusiasts assumed that the company was going to announce the iPhone 5. And while there were signs that voice recognition would be part of the iPhone event, few expected Siri to rule the day. Even fewer predicted that it would lead to iPhone 4S sales of nearly 40 million units and billions of dollars in revenue. Early reports suggested that Siri would also make its way to the iPad 3 (and possibly Apple's upcoming television set). But thus far, there has been no proof to confirm this rumor. If there is any one feature that the iPad 3 needs to get consumers to buy the device at launch, it is – without question – the Apple logo slapped on the back. I'm not trying to be snide here; I mean that sincerely. Right now, the iPad in general is still fresh and exciting news. The second iPad may have only been a marginal upgrade over the original, but it was just enough to get consumers to rush out and buy one – especially if they did not own the first. This was mainly due to the fact that the installed user base was still small enough to support these marginal upgrades. The same thing happened with the iPod Touch. I own the original, and there haven't been enough changes to inspire me to upgrade. But millions of consumers rushed out to get each model. Why? I suspect it's because they wanted – but did not acquire – a previous iteration. Thus, the device was still “new” to those buyers. I suspect the iPad 3 will have a similar impact at retail. There will inevitably be people who sell their old iPad 2s to get the latest Apple tablet. But in spite of those customers, Apple doesn't need to blow our minds next week. That said, it would be great if the company did have a surprise or two planned for the event. As I have stated before, if the iPad 3's battery lasted twice as long as the original, that would be enough to get me to buy one. But a surprising (and awesome/unexpected) new feature could have a similar effect.
Follow me @LouisBedigian
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Posted In: NewsTechCNBCiPad 3
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